Process for treating mineral oils



May 23, 1939. w. B. MccLuER EVAL PROCESS FOR- TREATING 'MINERAL OILS Filed June 23, 1954 @sums 4.1.x

v/scas/rrAr smv--f 29 3a 3/ y @M NX G 5m Patented May 23, 1939 PATENT OFFICE rnocnss Fon Tammo MINERAL ons t Wilbert B. McCluer and Merrell R. Fenske, State College, Pa., assignors to Pennsylvania Petroleum Research Corporation, a, corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 23, 1934, serial No. 732,148

1 claim.' (ci. 19e- 13) This invention pertains generally to the separation, of petroleum oilsof Pennsylvania grade into components. It will be described in connec-k tion with the improvement of residuum oils of '5 Pennsylvania grade. However, it is to be understood that it may haver other uses.

In accordance with this invention Pennsyl- Vania grade residuum oils are separated into various components by treatment withk methyl l ethyl ketone, or a mixture ycontaining methyl ethyl ketone in suiiicient quantity to be effective assuch. y

Whilewe appreciate that practically nothing is known concerning deiinite substances which 15 comprise the complicated mixture known as mineral oil and still less is known concerning the compounds present in the heavier `or lubricating oil fractions except that the molecular Weights of the molecules are large, which 2o makes it possible to have varying types of structure existing in the same molecule, yet there is evidence which leads to the conception that the types of molecules in lubricating oils may be divided into perhaps three classes;r

f3.5 The molecules of these three yclasses *are ythought to have structurescontalnlngrings and chains and the followingV hypothetical classica= tion is based, first, upon whetherthe rings are unsaturated or saturated, and second, upon the relate tive length of the chains attached tothe rings;

The term chain implies*eithersubstantially a straight chain ora 4relatively highlybranched chain. A y

The molecules'oi'the iirst'class are Vconceived c5 to have rings which are yappreciably unsaturated (i. e., hydrogen may be addedwwithout appreciably changing the molecular conguration). with chains attached to the rings but Withthering type of structure preponderating; "Molecules of 4.0 this class may be regarded Vas having asphaltic characteristics. y

The molecules of the second class are conceived to have rings which are principally saturated, such as Lthose of cyclopentane or cyclohexane,

45 with a considerable number of chains attached thereto. The carbon atoms are thought to be about equally divided between the chains and the rings. Molecules of thisclass may be regarded as having naphthenic characteristics.

l50 The molecules of the third class are conceived to have rings which are predominately .saturated (i. e., the larger part of the carbon atoms have associated with them as many other carbon yand/ork hydrogen atoms as-possiblewithout apke5 preciably changing the molecular structure)Y and to have chains attached to these ringsfwhich are relatively long and involved compared to the chains of the second class. The carbon atoms in the chains are thought to be materially in excess of these in the rings. This class of molecules 5 may be regarded as having paraflniccharacteristics.

It is to be understood, however, that the foregoing thoughts relative to molecular arrangements are employed simply to portray the overallor average condition of the molecular species constituting an oil and that any one or more of such molecular arrangements may comprise petroleums or oils according to the type.

VOils of Pennsylvania grade are composed preponderately of molecules of the third class.

Solvent extraction processes of the prior art relate principally to the removal of molecules of the first and second classes from oils containing considerable quantities koi such molecules, such as those from the mid-continent and western elds, the. desideratum being the production of rainates which are' comparable in viscosity characteristics to Pennsylvania oils. The improvements obtained in such processes are due principally to deasphaltization, or in other words to the removal of materials not initially contained in `oils .of Pennsylvania grade.

Oils of Pennsylvania grade are universally regarded as premium lubricants and improvements in such oils by the process herein are due to a considerably different effect, and entirely separate and distinct problems are involved.

Outstanding among these problems is the removal from lubricating oils of Pennsylvania grade of materials responsible for the relatively high Conradson carbon residue which is particularly characteristic of these oils. This problem is of equal if not of greater importance than that of decreasing the rate of change of viscosity with temperature.

This problem is mostly non-existent in the reiining of lubricating oils derived from crudes emanating from oil elds outside of the Pennsylvania area. The absence of a relatively high Conradson carbon is substantially the only characteristic in which lubricating oils derived from crudes outside of the Pennsylvania area may be regarded as being superior to Pennsylvania grade lubricating oils.

The rate of change of viscosity With temperature is at present largely measured in terms of the viscosity index as developed by Dean and Davis (Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering 36, 618 (1929) and revised by Davis, Lapeyrouse,

A: 10G- 1.0752 Iog10(V- 38) lo-logmW-ss) v A=viscositygravity constant G=speciflc gravity at F. V=viscosity at 100 F., Saybolt seconds This relation between viscosity and gravity does not vary to any appreciable extent for oils which are produced by distillation from thesame crude,

but does vary for oils which are produced `from diilerent base or type crudes. Pennsylvania oils are regarded as being of high quality and for the viscosity-gravity constant give a valuey of approximately 0.82 whereas naphthenic oils are regarded as being of low quality and give a value of approximately 0.92.

Since the rate of change in viscosity of oil mix-v tures with temperature `decreases with decrease in percentage of molecules of the rst and second classes, it would appear that either the viscosity index or the viscosity-gravity constant is a measure of the viscosity-temperature characteristic of an oil.

. However, both methods of measuring the latter characteristic present difculties.

For instance, the viscosity index, particularly of light oil fractions, is influenced to a rgreat extent by the accuracy with which the 210 F. viscosity is determined, and also, though to a less extent, by the accuracy with which the 100 F. viscosity is determined.

For example, an error of 1.0 Saybolt second in the 210 F. viscosity determination of a 40.0 second (Saybolt at 210 F.) oil results in an error of approximately 32 points in the viscosity index of a typical paraflinic oil, and in an error of about 55 points in the viscosity index of a typical naphthenic oil. A similar error in the case of a 45.0-second (Saybolt at 210 F.) oil results in an error of about 15 points for a para'inic oil and in an error of 27 points for a naphthenic oil.

` consideration.

Therefore, it will be seen that very large differences in viscosity index measurements may result owing to relatively small errors in viscosity measurements, particularly in the case of light oil fractions, making it necessary to exercise a very high degree of skill and care` to obtain reasonably correct readings.

A difference of a comparable character does not nd its way into viscosity-gravity constant determinations in the case of light oil fractions so that the latter method may be regarded as being somewhat more accurate in the case of light oil fractions. y

However, viscosity-gravity constant determinations require a much greater amount of calculations and this method is, therefore, cumbersome, particularly when investigations are made on a large scale.

Upon an investigation of a representative group of different oils, it is found that a definite relation exists between the viscosity index and the Viscosity gravity constant making it possible by a combination of the two to evaluate the viscosity-temperature characteristics oi an oil by a third and much more uniformly accurate and rapid method than the ii'rst and second methods respectively.

This will be more clearly understood upon reference to the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a graph on which the viscosity indexes of the above group of oils are plotted against their viscosity-gravity constants.

Figure 2 is a graph on which viscosities in Saybolt seconds at F. are plotted against specific gravities at 60 F., the value of each having been obtained by substituting for A in the above formula the numerical value of the viscosity gravity constant (as obtained from the graph of Figure l) corresponding to each of a series ci hypothetical oils having viscosity indexes ten units apart and ranging from zero to and by substituting for V in the above formula a plurality of arbitrarily chosen values; and on which graph a. curve is drawn through the plotted points resulting from each chosen value of viscosity index, and

Figure 3 is a graph illustrating the relative value of each unit of difference in viscosity index for oils ranging from light fractions to heavy fractions.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawing, the curve I0 on graph ii shows that the viscosity gravity constant is definitely related to the Viscosity index.

' This fact indicates and tests have shown that an index number comparable to its viscosity index number (hereinafter referred to for convenience as the gravity index) can be obtained for any mineral oil lubricant of any one type from its viscosity in Saybolt seconds at 100 F. and its specic gravity at 60 F. with a fairly high degree of accuracy.

` Furthermore, the nature of curve Ii) shows that gravity index numbers may be obtained for Pennsylvania oils (being parainic in type) with a high degree of precision.

A form of graph from which the gravity index of a mineral lubricating oil can be obtained accurately is shown at I2 in Figure 2. The curves I3, I4, I5, I6, I1, I8, I9, 20', 2|-, 22,723, 2t, and 25 were constructed by connecting all of the points plotted in the manner above indicated for each hypothetical oil. Curves I4, I6, I8, 20, 22, and 2d are shown dotted merely to assist the eye in focusing on any one line.

It is appreciated that the accuracy of such a graph is dependent to a large extent on its size, but the usual 8.5 by 11 inch plot will result in values which are approximately of the same degree of accuracy as that which corresponds to an error of 0.10 A. P. I. in gravity. Toobtain the numerical value of the gravity index for any mineral oil of the type for which graph I2 happens to be constructed whether such oil is extracted or not, it is merely necessary to measure its viscosity at 100 F. in Saybolt seconds, to measure its gravity at 60 F., and then to plot the values on graph I2 of Figure 2, interpolating the exact value if necessary. Additional curves may be interpolated between those shown if desired to assist in the reading.

Thisinvention is based on the discovery thatk the gravity index, colory and/or Conradson car bon of Pennsylvania grade residuum oils may be dark color and/or for a relatively high Conradson carbon residue are more soluble therein than other oil components not possessing these characteristics.

Therefore, by a residuum extraction treatment of an oil containing both classes of components with methyl ethyl ketone, it is possible to separate said oil into an oil having a relatively higher viscosity change with temperature, -a relatively darker color and/or a relativelyl higher Conradsoncarbon and an oil havinga relatively lower viscosity change with temperature, a relatively lighter color and/or a relatively lower Conradson carbon than that possessed by the original oil. n

Furthermore, the solvent herein set forth exhibits a selective solvent power for oxidizable components and for other components which might result in sludge, and for other substances considered deleterious, so that, when the original oil contains one or more'of the foregoing, a preponderance thereof will be found in the separated portion of relatively high viscosity change with temperature, of relatively darker color and/or of relatively higher Conradson carbon, thereby leaving the separated portion of relativelylow viscosity change with temperature, of relatively lighter color and/or of relatively lower Conradson carbon in a more highly refined state. -In'vpracticing the invention, contact between solvent and oil may be eiected by any desired means. Two immiscible solutionsr are formed, one containing oil components of relatively higher gravity index, of relatively lighter color and/or relatively lower Conradson carbon, and the other solution containing oil components of .relatively lower gravity index, of relatively dark- Y er color and/or of relatively higher Conradson carbon.

This-contact may be the result of mechanically mixing the oil with a suitable quantity of solvent such as Vby stirring in a suitable container-at any desired suitable temperature to effect eitherva total or any desired degree of partial/'solution of'solvent and oil. In the event of total solution of the oil and solvent, the mixing may be followed rby cooling to cause the formation of Itwo immiscible solutions the same as when partial solution only of oil in solvent is originally effected. This cooling may be in steps so as to cause fractional precipitation. It is .also possible to effect partial solution of oil in solvent at `a relatively elevated temperature and then, to cool to precipitate a part of the dissolved oil.

Separation of the solution may be accomplished in any manner, for instance, by allowing the liquid to settle into a. two layer system be separated from the oil portion if it should be desired to treat such portion with a diiferent solvent without eifecting a mixture of said solvents. However, such separation except as indicated would generally be unnecessary.

The oil might also be treated in a batch countercurrent system wherein the solvent in batches moves countercurrently through a plurality of oil batches, each batch of solvent being separated from each batch of oil before moving to the next batch of oil.

We find that continuous countercurrent systems are very suitable.

, This is particularly true of certain continuous countercurrent systems which we have developed in which a highly eflicient contact between oil and solvent is obtained (with or without precipitation or simulations of reflux) and in which channeling is substantially prevented.

However, any type of apparatus or system may be employed without departing from the invention. 1

The following examples will serve to further illustrate the invention.

' Properties of Pennsylvania lubricating stocks used BRI-5.11% of Bright cylinder cy l el' Oil stock and stock stock unltered neutral Viscosity at 210 F 153 154. 4 88. 8 Viscosity at 100 F 2517 2370 960 Gravity,qA. P. I. 25.9 25. 9 27. 5 Flash point, F 550 565 475 Fire point, F 620 635 530 Pour point, 15 50 30 Percent Conradson carbo 1.728 2. 178 1.444 Color, A. S. T. hi-.-" 8 I Cms.. 23. 6T s45-D Viscosity index 97.0 102.0 100,5 Viscosity-gravity constant 0. 809 0. 810 0. 812 Gravity index 106 105 104 The letter R appearing after the run number at the head of a column of igures in the following data indicates that the figures of the respective column relate to the properties of the raffinate of the run. Likewise, the letter E following the run number at the head of a column of gures indicates that the figures of the column relate to the properties of the extract.

The following runs were made with methyl ethyl ketone as the solvent and bright stock as' the oil.

Efvtraction of bright stock with methyl ethyl ketone Same run Same run Run No 1R 2R 5R 3R 3E 4R 4E Solvent-oil vol. ratio. 1. 5:1 7:1 11:1 3:1 6:1 Extraction temp. F 32 32 32 77 77 Percent solvent in oil layer 18 21 17 28 27 Yield of ratlinatc... 88 63 50 49 30 Yield oi extract l2 37 50 51 70 Viscosity at 210 F." 154.3 175.4 195.2 127.4 166.8 129.7 237.4 Viscosity at 100 F--- 2411 2726 3098 2270 2520 2108 4079 Gravity, A. P. 1 26. 5 27.0 27. 4 23. 2 26.8 24. 5 27.0

Flash point, F Fire point, F Pour point, F Percent Conradson The following runs were made with methyl ethyl ketone as the solvent and cylinder stock as the oil.

5 Extraction of cylinder stock with, 'methyl ethyl indicating centimeters, show a relative relationship with centimeters indicating the color of a water-white oil and 0 centimeters an. oil suffioiently opaque to cut down the quantity of light ketone transmitted with the hght source 0 cent1meters Same run Run No 6R 7R SR 9R 11R lOR 10E Solvent-oil vol. rati0. 1. 5:1 10:1 18:1 1:1 3:1 6:1 Extraction temp. F 32 32 32 77 77 77 Percent solvent in oil 37 27 61 32 33 87 55 40 77 48 35 Yield of extract 13 45 60 23 52 65 Viscosity at 210 F 154.0 174. 6 202. 6 157. 2 170. 6 143. 2 195. 6 Viscosity at 130 F- 873 960 1140 910 975 1145 Viscosity at 100 F 2250* 2380* 2900* 2350* 2470* 2270 2975* Gravity, A. P. I 26. 4 27. 6 27. 4 26.1 26.7 24.6 26. 8 Flash point, F Fire point, F Pour point, F Percent Conradson carbon Color, cms-. Viscosity index 111 112 108 96. 5 9 Viscosity-gravity constamt 0. 800 0. 795 0. 792 0. 809 0. 802 0. 820 0. 798 Gravity index 108 114 116 106 111 113 NoTE.-Asterisks denote extrapolated viscosities.

The following runs were made with methyl ethyl ketone as the solvent and a blend of cylinder stock and unfiltered neutral as the oil.

Extraction of blend of cylinder stock` and unfiltered neutral with methyl ethyl ketone Run number 12R Solvent-oil volume ratio 2; 1 Extraction temperature F 77 Solvent in oil layer Per cent 40 Yield of raffinate 49 Yield of extractn; 51 Viscosity at 210 F 103.6 Viscosity at F 484 Viscosity at 100 F 1180* Gravity, A. P. I 27.5 Flash point F Fire point F Pour point A F Per cent Conradson carbo-n 1.52 Color crns 29.0-D Viscosity index 106 Viscosity-gravity constant 0.808 Gravity index 107 Nora-Asterisk denotes extrapolated viscosity.

In all of the foregoing runs, contact between solvent and oil was made by single batch methods. Greater efficiencies may be obtained by employing more efficient methods, for instance, continuous counter-current.

A substance or substances might be added to the solvent to modify the solubility of hydrocarbons therein, for instance to increase or decrease such solubility if desired. For instance should the miscibility of solvent and oil be too high for the efficient formation of two phases, as may be the case with light residuum oils, at higher temperatures, the temperature may be reduced and/ or additions may be made to reduce the solubility of hydrocarbons in the solvent. However, in case of reduction in temperature, such reduction should not be to a point where the oil becomes too viscous for efficient contact with the solvent.

In the foregoing data with respect to color the smaller numerals show the color as measured by A. S. T. M. methods,

The larger numerals, which are referred to as away to the same quantity as would pass through the water-white oil with the light source 100 centimeters away.

An increase in centimeters, therefore, indicates improvement in color.

In some cases the products obtained were too dark for determination on this specially constructed colorimeter in the usual manner. In this case the oils were diluted with kerosene. The kerosene used for dilution had a color rating of 90 centimeters. Accordingly all colors reported for these darker products were obtained on kerosene-oil mixtures containing 85% by volume kerosene and 15% by volume oil. The readings so obtained are listed with the suffix D,

The degree of actual improvement in the above runs will be better appreciated upon examining Figure 3 wherein is shown a graph 2S having curves 27, 28, 29, 30, 3|, 32,. and 33. Curve 27 was constructed by plotting the viscosity indexes of a series of hypothetical oils against their viscosities in Saybolt seconds at 210 F. Each of the series of hypothetical oils was assumed to have no viscosity difference between 100 F. and 210 F. The curve 21, therefore, represents maximum improvement as far as the viscosity-temperature characteristic of an oil is concerned.

It will be noted that the curve 21 slopes downwardly toward the right, the slopes at the various points on the curve 21 being quite extreme at the left and becoming less extreme at the right, but there is, nevertheless, a decided downward tendeney. This is due to the manner in which the viscosity index was originally developed and clearly shows that a difference of one point in the viscosity index of an oil of, for instance, 280 seconds viscosity at 210 F. is of as much importance as a difference of about 3.5 points in the viscosity index of an oil having a Viscosity of, for instance, 40 seconds at 210 F.

The curves 26 to 33 inclusive have been interpolated to represent different percentages of improvement in viscosity index over that normally possessed by a Pennsylvania grade oil. Base line ill is given a value of 100 since Pennsylvania oils are rated at 100 in Viscosity index. Curve 33 represents an improvement of 10%; curve 32,

20%; ,curve 3|, 30%; curve 30, 40%; curve 29, and curve 28, 80%.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a Pennsylvania grade residuum oil may be divided into any desired number of portions having different gravity indexes, having different color ratings and/or having different Conradson carbon ratings and may be simultaneously otherwise refined.

In the .claim the term Pennsylvania grade residuum oil is intended to mean a residuum resulting from the distillation of Pennsylvania grade crude oil or of a relatively heavy fraction thereof, or a Pennsylvania oil of comparable viscosity obtained by any other means, and is employed generically to include a mixture of said residuums, or a mixture containing a quantity of such residuum. Generally speaking these oils will have viscosities at 210 F. in the neighborhood of to 110 Saybolt seconds or above, and usually will have a viscosity at 210 F. in the y neighborhood of to 150 Saybolt seconds or above. These oils invariably contain in considerable proportions characteristic lubricating oil components of extremely high viscosity, of extremely low volatility, and relatively of very high molecular Weight.

Also in the claim the term methyl ethyl ketone is intended to mean at least substantially pure methyl ethyl ketone or a mixture wherein said methyl ethyl ketone is for practical purposes essentially the sole active component operating to selectively separate oil components as herein set forth.

While procedure for the purpose of carrying out the invention has been particularly described, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration, and that changes, omissions, additions, substitutions, and/or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention which is intended to be limited only as required by the prior art.

We claim:

A process comprising extracting a Pennsylvania grade residuum oil containing components of different characteristics with methyl ethyl ketone as the sole effective extractant under conditions adapted to cause the formation of two liquid phases, and separating said phases to produce portions of said oil respectively exhibiting certain of said characteristics to a greater and to a lesser degree.

WILBERT B. MCCLUER. MERRELL R. FENSKE. 

